It was a great tour. I hope that we can do your tour of England, both north and south, for our next experience. The group of people on our tour were enjoyable and pleasant. Terms of Service | Privacy. ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Annie was a fabulous guide. Ann, our tour guide, was very, very knowledgeable about Scotland, the culture, the sights, and the history. Thankfully, the sun decided to shine that day! The tour was well organized and proper balance was achieved between walking tours, rest periods and bus travel. Overall a great vacation. The time spent watching the sheepdogs work was amazing. This was my first Rick Steves tour, but it will not be my last! Nigel was very knowledgeable and kept things interesting. He offers accommodations in a historic building in Budapest, and transfers. First tour I've ever taken and absolutely delighted. "It was probably the Royal Mile guided tour. "The Sheep Dogs were amazing and funny and fascinating and awesome. Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Covered a lot of ground, but not so intense that we were ever overly tired. And so it was clear: We needed a full-fledged Scotland guidebook. It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. Garden in Culross circa 1700 was fascinating that they're recreating it. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, From our hustory lessons, wonderful gaelic, and modern Scotish music while on the bus, to our wanderings around the beautiful countryside of Scotland, Liz was there for us enriching our experience and helping us experience the rich history of Scotland.". The guide was not what I would consider "Rick Steves" quality. I like that on day one of each tour he'll show us the lay of the land, tell us the best routes to get to restaurants, shops, ATM machines from our hotel. A close second wow was seeing Neil the shepherd and his dogs herding sheep and getting to hold a border collie puppy. The ending of the video at Urquhart Castle definitely caused chills.". That place is beautiful. Scotland is such a beautiful country; I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the topography and the towns and villages we visited. Elizabeth immersed the group into all aspects of Scotland. Interesting, educational, fun. Just so beautiful....", We thoroughly enjoyed our Scotland tour. The tour was a great mix of the cities and the rural areas. The country is physically beautiful....and green...and the various sights and sounds and tastes were wonderful. "As we came upon Glencoe, Adele's dramatic theme from Skyfall blasting though the coach, my heart was in my throat. The division of time between group and personal time was appropriate for us, and my wife and I made good use of Martin's suggestions for things to see and do. Helen was the perfect tour guide and was especially aware of my limitations. Our group was a very congenial group to be with and Ann was an excellent guide. I was familiar with the history of what happened there, but was not prepared for the beauty of the glen itself. This way we get a better feel for the places we see. Charlie our leader was top notch. Went to Glascow overnight and wish we had done it as a day trip. This was our first Rick Steve's tour, but will not be the last. There were no big surprises which is good when you prepare a tour. I came away feeling I got an accurate look at Scottish people, culture and geography. "The bookshop in Inverness, colorful bindings with enticing titles to browse,
The tour was a good balance, with enough "on your own" time. I was traveling by myself assuming there were would be others doing the same, but that wasn't the case and I did worry some that I would loose my way on days when we were on our own. First time to Europe and everything was satisfying. The tour was very well-organized and every day was a delight. All the scenery in Scotland was really a WOW!!". He is the best guide that I have encountered on Rick Steeves' tours and is one of the best on other tours that I have down in the past. The wonderful bed and breakfast owners,like at Glenburnie House in Oban when the owner suggested taking time in Iona to just sit, relax and feel what was important.". Experiences were fun. The size of the group (28) was quite nice as it was possible to interact with nearly everyone. Also, shepherding with Neil- seeing a14 week old border collie successfully manage the herd was amazing!". His professionalism, candor and wit made the tour an excellent experience. Loved the castles, the Highland scenery, the sheep dogs and puppies, tried Haggis and blood pudding, and truly enjoyed venison. passed and how stress free it is having almost
Great planning to pack in all of that. Rick's ⦠Our time there was special. The memory still lives on! Fantastic bus driver! No promotion allowed. Bus: 4 hours. I learned so much about the city and see details I would never have found on my own. Helen Houston was fabulous. The sheepdog farm - getting to help shear a sheep plus hold adorable puppies was awesome. Still to come: Germany, Switzerland, and more. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning. Rick Steves' Europe. See more ideas about rick steves, europe travel, travel. Sleep in Glasgow. Very enjoyable tour. I will return to Scotland at some point. Quite a highlight for me.". Edinburgh will go down as one of my favorite city's I have ever visited. My other favorite day was the day trip to Iona. "Iona! Just not a "tour". He gave us history and background on things we were going to see or do. Noté /5. There was one breathtaking view after another! I left feeling renewed, and how much better can a vacation be than that!?". We loved our tour of Scotland learning the history with our great tour guide, experiencing the culture & real life demonstrations and not having to worry about driving or getting lost! No bus. This was a wonderful experience. I loved the scenery, and James described everything so well that even when the clouds were at their lowest, I felt I could see it all. Anne turned the rain into a positive with the trip up Glencoe. I just canât say enough about Rick Steves tours! Well organized, diverse, and Nigel was outstanding. All three couch driver we had was excellent and friendly. was fascinating; the town Oban on the coast was beautiful; the sheepdog demonstration (and puppies to hold) was a delight (as well as having the opportunity sheer a sheep)! Accommodations and menus were great. Loved it.". Terms of Service | Privacy, Raves About Rick's Ireland and Scotland Tours. "There were many "wow" moments, but, I would have to say that Glencoe was the "wowest!" This was my first experience with the Rick Steves tours and she made it incredible. Perfect pub experience...good Scottish ales, good food, and great live acoustic music from the owner, Bruce, and his friends.". "My favorite wow moment was the isle of iona and Edinburgh loved the royal mile and the military tatoo. I wrote a lengthy trip report on the forum. This morning we'll tour a reconstruction of Scotland's unique crannogs — prehistoric, thatched-roofed defensive huts built on piers out over the lochs — and learn about the Iron Age people who first farmed these lands. The tour guide, Martin, was very knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed meeting Scottish folks and found them to be very friendly and willing to help or just talk about "stuff". She made the tour exciting and informative. I think the best thing is the Rick Steves special events that normal tourists don't get to experience like Gilly the Scottish bagpiper, the Crannog experience, the wonderful bus driver across the Isle of Mull who with his humor made the trip to Iona so enjoyable. We had a history lesson as well as background of the Scottish culture, traditions and geology. Her enthusiasm was contagious. I ate a lot of good food, including desserts, during the 10 days and I still came home 5 lbs lighter! The Edinburgh day tour guide and the bus driver across the Isle of Mull was a standup comic, really entertaining. We'll begin our day at a working sheep farm, where we'll watch talented sheepdogs in action and learn about Scotland's wool industry. Title Author Replies Last Post ; Recommend a place to stay in Kirkwall or Stromness, Orkney? It was a great balance of rural and urban activities and sites. Arriving at Urquhart Castle by boat on Loch Ness
The fact that he could share his life journey with us made the entire trip so much more moving. It was pretty much WOW.". "Iona was a key destination for us. This was our 1st R. St Tour, so that was fun to see how it goes. The waterfalls were amazing! Bus: 1 hour. Rick and Anne's suggestions really helped preparing for the trip. As a result of the continuous bus travel we had less time at the locations then desirable. It was so nice not to have to worry about anything. Browse Rick's best England and Scotland tours and vacation packages: Best of London in 7 Days Tour The tour was lovely. The gardens (Culross and Cawdor Castle) were exceptional places to wander and explore. We'll return to Oban, and our own century, in time for dinner. "My favorite moment was the sheep dog demonstration at Leault Farm w/ the shepherd, Neil. In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. My wife and I had a very good time in Scotland. Scotland was all that was expected and much more. "I loved the beauty of the country, the charm of each of the stops, and the great diversity of experiences. After lunch we'll drive along the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond on our way to the scenic coastal town of Oban, the "Gateway to the Isles." Guides are always excellent and fun as well as interacting with the group. This was our first Rick Steve's tour, and we were very impressed! Sleep in Glasgow. We saw many different areas of Scotland giving us an overview of the country. The agenda was just right; enough tours and activity but didn't burn us out. Lovely, secluded, calm and quiet.". James was so knowledgeable and informative. 1. Any time between April and October is a good time to visit Scotland. "Pretty much everyday had wow moments so it is hard to narrow it down. "One of the tour lead guide through one of the museums learning the history of Scotland.". The Scotland tour exceeded my expectations in almost every regard. Boat: 2 hours. "Hard to put a finger on that favorite wow moment , there were so many. "The trip from Oban to the Isle of Iona. "Sheep dogs, my wife and I both agree on this. Loved the seacoast towns and ferry rides to Mull and Iona.". It was my Scotland moment.". Loved the Whisper Sets - so much easier! A local stopped us while we were studying a map, and asked if she could help us. And those huge trees! The hotel rooms booked for us were nice, clean, and in downtown area. Sticky Toffee Pudding - what a tasty and wicked dessert - I am amazed I have any teeth left ! ", — Alice in Mascoutah, IL — Heart of Ireland in 8 Days, "The tour was EVERYTHING I hoped for and more. The entire trip was truly an eyeopener.". The tour left me wanting to go back to spend more time in my favorite places. My husband and I live in a golf community and were excited to visit that area. Home / Blog ; Posted on July 16, 2013 January 5, 2018 by Rick Steves. A good bit of history was well presented and the stops informative and entertaining, especially the Dewar's distillery and St. Andrews but I do have a bias toward Scotch and golf. The scenery was so green, with the homes, churches and castles was awesome. I know we only touched on the southern end of the highland but to see the lochs, glens, and rugged peaks was overwhelming. Everyone shared their prior experiences on other countries visited. it was a great way to learn about Scotland and its people. The scenery was beautiful and we were delighted to see the sheep farm and how sheep dogs are trained. We enjoyed each location included on the tour. The people on our bus were lovely, our guide was darling, fun, approachable, organized, smart, knowledgeable. The people were nice, the food delicious and the history interesting. Anne is such a treasure and Rick Steves Europe is lucky to have her guiding. Castles were pretty. It was extremely impressive to see one man have control over 8 to 10 working dogs at one time. Since I am a duffer, walking over the bridge on the 18th fairway of the old course in St. Andrews was also a wow moment. Wonderful travel companions
The beauty of Scotland definitely made up for the rain. Loved seeing the sheep herding and of couse the hairey coos! Would have liked some balance between abandoned castles, churches, battlefields, and royal succession with Highland Games, a look at Scotland's shipbuilding heritage, a demo on how they weave all the tartan. Two things really opened my eyes to the past: the recreation of the 2500-year-old crannog, and Martin's guided comparison of the ruins of a 500-year-old castle with its still-occupied twin.". "Driving through the Glencoe Vally with the theme from Skyfall playing on the bus. Nigel was a great guide and our group was awesome too. The pace was perfect in terms of the number of activities each day. Nice bus and well-timed bathroom stops. Thank you! "It is very hard to pick just one. He took a group of strangers, and who during the trip became good friends while sharing their experiences. This tour did not disappoint. 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